Printing machine for margarine or the like



0.2811941.` K GHEFT ETAL 2,258,288

PRINTING MACHINE FOR MARGARIE OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. Y4, 1959 3 ShveletS-Sheet l A T TORNE Y Oct. 7, 1941. K G HEFT ET M 2,258,288

PRINTING MACHINE FOR MARGARINE OR THE vLIKE Filed Feb, 4, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY s BY Oct. 7, 1941. K; G. HEFT ET Al. 2,258,288

PRINTING MACHINE FOR MARGARINEioR THE LI KE 'Filed Feb. 4, 19:59 z sheets-Sheet z IN VENTOR A TT ORNE Y Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEy PRINTING MACHINE Fon MARGARINE ou THE LIKE Kenneth G. Heft, `Earl J. Rapp, ami- Lymi n.

Dority, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Morris Packaging Equipment Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application February 4, 1939, Serial No. 254,618

,16 Claims.

"I'his invention relates to machines and meth-` ods of handling margarine, butter, cheese, lard and other materials of similar nature, but more particularly to the formation of such materials into prints or bars of substantially the same weight and size, it being a desideratum successively and expeditiously to produce prints of such material, which are of uniform consistency and ofY the same weight. v

I An object of the invention is to produce a new and improved machine for producing prints of butter, margarine, cheese, lard and the like, by which air is vented or released from the material so that the prints are uniformly of the same consistency and weight, and by which prints of this character are successively and rapidly produced.

Another object is to produce a machine of the above character in which the material is intermittently packed into a mold, whereupon the mold shifts to a point where the finished print is discharged and then rapidly returns for another charge but before the discharging means has retracted, thereby greatly expediting the operation.

A further object is to produce a simple and efcient method of forming prints of the above character from which the air is released or Vented, and which are expeditiously delivered to the wrapping mechanism so that the time element involved is reduced to a minimum.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and, for purposes of i1- lustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a print forming machine, the sheet feeding mechanism and wrapping mechanism'being omitted;

` Figure 2 is a top plan `view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional elevation of `the mold,`casing therefor, and associated parts, showing the position of the parts reversed with respect to Figures 1 and Zand showing particularly vthe mold inposition to receive a charge of margarine, or other material, and the pusheror ram in its advanced position;`

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional elevation similar toFigure 3, but in which the mold has received the charge and has been moved to its elevated position, `the pusher being in position to discharge the print from the mold;4V

Figure 5 `isa vertical sectional ,View on the line` 5--5 0i Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the mold casing showing the valve for venting air from the mold and also showingv the means for actuating the print discharging pusher or ram;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic View showing the initial position of the mold preparatory to .receiving its charge of margarine, or the like, with the print discharging ram in its advanced p0- sition;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the mold lled and the material closing the air vent valve;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view in which the mold has been elevated to the print discharge position, the ram or pusher being ready for its advancing movement; and

Figure `10 is a diagrammatic View similar to Figure 9 in which a ram or pusher is moved forwardly to discharge the print from the mold.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a print forming machine `having a supporting frame or standard I0 on which is suitably mounted a box II, on the top of which is a hopper I2 into which material to be formed into prints is introduced. The machine is particularly adapted for the handling of margarine, butter, cheese, lard `and other similar materials of semi-plastic nature. Disposed within the box I I is a pair of feed screws I3, which are disposed horizontally and are arranged side by side. Preferably, the screws I3 are of wood, and are operatively connected by meshing gears` I4 respectively at their rearv ends. A gear `I5 is connected to drive the gears I4, and meshing with the gear I5 is a pinion I6, which is fixed to a vcounter shaft I1. The counter shaft I'I has a sprocket and chain connection I8 with a main drive shaft I9. On the drive shaft I9` is a sheave 20, which is operatively connected to a source of power, such as an electric motor (not shown).

The operation of the machine is controlled by an operating handle 2I, which is suitablyconnected through a link 22 to a shaft 23A on which an arm 24 is fixed. 'I'he arm 24 actuates a suitable internal expanding clutch 25 so that the machine may be connected at will to the source of power by manipulation of the handle 2|.

The main drive shaft I9 is connected by beveled gears 2S to a transverse counter shaft 21, On the counter shaft 21 is a cam 28, with which one end of a bell crank 29 engages. The bell crank 29 is xed to a shaft 29 which turns in a frame member 29a. The opposite end of the bell crank is connected by a rod 30 and an arm 3I to an internal expanding clutch 32,V which controls at the front end of the box Il is a mold casing.` 33 in the form of a casting provided witha throat,V 34 which tapers inwardly from the feed screws.`

I3, and is adapted to be aligned with a mold or or pusher 52, which, as indicated in Figure 10, moves forwardly to force the bar or print of material carried by the mold upon a suitable conveyor C. If desired, the print may rst be folded in `any suitable manner with parchment paper by wrapping mechanism well known in the art.

As shown in Figure 5, one side of the mold cavity 36 is open and the pusher or ram 52 is connected by a short bracket 53 with a slide 54,

`which is reciprocable horizontally in the mold casing 33. It will. be understood that the face of .the ram'52 has a nice sliding t in the mold print forming cavity 36 formed in jan'intermedate part of a mold 31. The-mold 3.1 is rectangular in cross section and elongate in Va vertical direction. The mold is mounted for vertical reciprocatory sliding movements in an open ended guide 38 within which the mold iits snugly. The lower end of the mold is connected by a link 39 to one end of an arm. 49, which is pivoted at its opposite end at 4I to a bar 42- suit- .ably secured to the main. frame.4 The mold cavity 36, into which the material is forced by the screws I3, is open. at, itsfront and rear ends..

Formed .in the wall'V of the casing 33 substantially axial alignment with the throat 34 is a substantially rectangular vent vopening 43, which is provided with a tapered valve seat 44. Adapted. to close the opening is an elongate plate valve 45, Side edges of which are tapered, as indicated at 46, to fit snugly against the tapered seat 44. The valve 45Y is secured by screws 4'I to a pair of spaced depending arms 48,. which are pivoted adjacent `their .lower ends upon a` transverse rod 49. The valve is normally urged inwardly to its open position by a coil spring 45a which engages one of the armsv 48. On the: lower end of the other of the arms. 48 is a cam piece 50, the outer surface of which inclines upwardly and outwardly so that a iinger 5I secured to the arm 40 may ride over the cam surface during the upward movement .of the moldy 3l for urging the valve45. against its seat and insuring that the Valve is. entireliz closed when thev mold .slides over it.

An important feature of the invention is to enable. release or venting of. air from the mold cavity .and the material in order to insure that the material packed into the mold cavity is .a solid mass .free from air pockets which interfere with the weight ofthe print. I It is desired that a print consists. of a homogeneous mass entirely free from air pockets so that yeach printv will have the .same weight. as .every other print.. In this connection, it will be observed that the vent oPDiI1g43 is disposedv substantially in alignment with the advancing. movement of material into the mold cavity. Consequently,any air which is trapped in the mass will .be squeezed out4 as the material is forced; under. pressure. and packed tightly within the .cavity 35.. Substantially upon completion of thellling of .the mold cavity the material .impinges against the inner surface of the Valve 45 and. forces. it tightly against its seat 44, thereby to close the vent.

opening. l

Rotation of the feed screws I3 stops when the mold 31 moves upwardly so that further feeding or packing. of the materialv into the. throat and mold cavity ceases upon vertical movement of themold. Thus, i-t. willv be understood that` the mold 3.'| moves from the position shown in Figure. 8 to that shown in Figure. 9,. in. which latter position the moldcavity 33 is aligned with a. ram

'c-avity, and the open side of the cavity enables the ram 52 to move forwardly to a position shown in Figure 10 for expelling the print, whereupon the mold 3'I retracts or moves downwardly while the ram is in its advanced position. Such downward movement of the mold is made possible by movement of the ram 52 to a point beyond the adjacent side of the mold so that neither the ram norits associated parts. are within the mold cavity 36. After the mold has retracted the ram 52 moves rearwardly, as indicated in Figure '7.

This construction and arrangement is of importance in increasing. the speed of the printforming operation because the mold does not have to remain in its uppermost position until the ram 52 has retracted. Onv the contrary, the mold merely remains in its uppermost position just long enough to allow the print to be expelled and then it retracts, allowing the ram 52 to retract subsequently. In the rearward movement of the ram. 52, it slides. over the top of the mold which is then receiving another charge of margarine.

The slide 54 carrying the ram 52 is actuated by an arm 55 joined lat one end by a link 56 to a post 5'I which is xed. at. one end to the slide 54,.r A coil spring 5'8 has one .end anchored to the bracket 59, the spring urging the rain 5.2 to its normal or retracted position. The arm 55 is` pivoted at and the lower end thereof is. pivoted toa horizontally disposed-arm a which has a forked end 55h straddling the countershaft 2'1. On the arm 55a is a roller 6-I which is suitably actuated by a cam 62 on the counter shaftV 2'I. A roller 63 on an intermediate portion of the mold actuating arm 4U engages a cam 64 on the shaft 21, a coil spring 55 assisting in thedownward movement thereof. It will be understood that the cams on the counter shaft 2'I are so arranged and chosen that the above described sequence of operation ofthe several parts takes place. Detail illustration and .description of these parts are not regarded. as-neCeSSalY SflC they will be readily understood by those .skilled in thisart. f Y

Upon the returnl of. the mold 3'! to its normal position with the cavity 36 in position to receive the next succeeding charge, the 4carn 28. on the counter shaft 21 will have moved to such position as to actuate the-clutch 32 for resuming the rotative movement of the. screws .I3. ,The

n above described operation is then repeated.

When. the mold 31 returns toits normal `position where it receives another charge of material, the valve 45V automatically opens as soon as the lower edge portion of-the cavity 36 passes free,l thereby to ven-t air from the oncoming charge.r As shown, the weight of thev valve is such as toy cause. it normally to4 rock slightly in a counter clockwise direction (Figure 3) or to its open position, and the valve remains in such position until the material presses it closed. The

valve then remains closed, and through the-linger and cam surface 50 is held tightly in its closed position when the lower edge portion of the mold cavity 36 encounters it upon the upward movement thereof. Y

A cardinal feature of this invention resides in the production of a print of margarine, butter, orthe like, which is substantially free from air pockets, at least sufficiently free from such air pockets as not to vary the weight of the successive prints, so that the weights of the prints are uniformi. Another important feature resides in the rapidity withwhich the prints can be produced, and such speedy action is made possible to a large extent by the relative operation of the'mold and discharge ram because the `mold can move quicklyto print discharging position, the print quickly expelled, and the mold returned for its next charge without waiting for the retraction of the discharge ram. This greatly enhances the speed of operation of the machine.

It is to be understood that although I have described a machine and method which satisfy the objects primarily enumerated, the description and illustration are not to be regarded as limiting except as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a print machine for semi-plastic materials, means to advance material under pressure, a box-like open ended mold forA containing a predetermined amount of material and disposed in the path thereof, a normally open valve at the front end of said mold for venting air therefrom and arranged to be engaged and closed by the material, means for actuating said mold at substantially right angles to the advancing movement of the material, said material advancing means being rendered ineffective during movement of the mold, and means to insure' that the valve remains closed during movement of the mold.

2. In a print machine for semi-plastic mate-V rials, a restricted throat, means to force material through said throat, a mold at the opposite end of said throat for the material, said mold having an open outer end, an air vent valve adjacent said open end and arranged to be engaged by the material and thereby closed, means for vertically actuating said mold, and a pusher for discharging the material from the mold.

3. In a print machine for margarine or the likea restricted throat, means to force margarine through said throat, a mold at the opposite end of said throat for the margarine, said mold having an open outer end, an air vent valve adjacent said open end and arranged to be engaged by the margarine and thereby closed, means for actuating said mold, means conjoined to said actuating means for insuring closing of said valve during actuation of said mold, and a pusher for discharging the margarine from the mold.

4. In a print machine for margarine or the like, a mold having opposite sides open, means for forcing margarine through one open side of the mold, an air vent valve juxtaposed to the other open side of the mold, said valve being open upon introduction of the margarine and adapted to be closed by pressure of the margarine thereagainst, means for reciprocating said mold, a pusher for discharging the margarine from said mold, and means enablingreturnof said pusher after retraction of said mold.

5. In a machine for forming prints of `margarine or theV like, means operable intermittently to feed margarine, a mold havingY an open end to receive the margarine, margarine responsive means for venting 'air from said mold, means operable in timed relation to said feeding meansV for reciprocating said mold from feeding position to discharging position, means to discharge the'print from the mold, and means to enable retraction of said mold prior to retraction of said discharge means.

6. In a machine for forming prints of mar-y garine or the like, margarine feeding means, a casing, a mold reciprocable in said casing and having open ends, an air venting device constructed and arranged to be closed by the margarine substantially upon filling of the mold, means to move said Vmold between margarine filling and print discharging locations, a pusher for discharging the print, means for actuating said pusher, `and one side of said mold being open to enable said pusher to discharge the print when the mold is in discharging location, and to retract after the mold has returned to feeding position.

7. In a print machine for semi-plastic materials, an intermittently operable materialfeeder, a mold to receive material from said feeder, reciprocatory means operable in timed relation to the movement of said feeder for actuating said mold vfrom material-receiving position to printdischarging position, a reciprocatory print discharger operable when said mold is in printdischarging position for discharging the print therefrom, and means to enable retraction of said mold to material-receiving position prior to retraction of said discharger.

8. In a print machine for semi-plastic materials, an intermittently operable material feeder, a mold to receive material from said feeder, reciprocatory means operablein timed relation to the movement of said feeder for actuating said mold from material-receiving position to print-discharging position, a reciprocatory print discharger movable at right angles to the direction of movement of the mold when said mold is in print-discharging position for discharging the print therefrom, and means to enable retraction of said mold to lmaterial-receiving position prior to retraction of said discharger.

`9. In a print machine for semi-plastic materials, an intermittently operable material feeder, a mold to receive material from said feeder', reciprocatory means operable in timed relation to the movement of said feeder for actuating said mold from material-receiving position to printdischarging position, sai-d mold having an open side, a reciprocatory print discharger operable when said mold is in print-discharging position for discharging the print therefrom, and means for actuating said print discharger including a part movable along the open side of said mold to a point in advance of the mold, whereby said mold is enabled to retract to material-receiving position prior to retraction of said discharger and substantially when the discharger has cleared the mold.

10. In a print machine for semi-plastic materials, an intermitteently operable material feeder, a mold to receive material from said feeder, means adapted to be closed by the material for venting air from the mold, said venting means being movable to and vfrom closed position,reciprocatory means operable in timed relationrto themovemen-tof said feeder for actuating said mol-d from material-receiving position to print-discharging position, said mold having an `openside,. a reciprocatory print discharger operable when. said mold is in print-discharging position for discharginglthe print therefrom, and means for actuating said print discharger includng a part movable along the open side of said mold to a point in advance of the mold, whereby said mold is enabled to retractv to material-receiving position prior-tol retraction. of said discharger and substantially when the disoharger has cleared themold. f

11. In a print machine for semi-plastic .materials, a material feeder, al mold for receiving a predeterminedamoun-t of material from the feeder, said mold being movable between ma- 'serial-receiving and material-discharging positions,V means movable between open and closed positions responsive vto the material for venting the air from said mold, means normally urging said venting means to its open position, and positive means responsive to movement of said mol-d for holding said Vventing means in closed position during movement of said mold to material discharging position.

12.k In a print machine for margarine or the like, an intermittently operable material feeder, a mold toI receive material from said feeder, re-

Y ciprocatory means foractuating said mold from f venting means adapted to be closed by the material when said mold is substantially filled, said venting means comprising a pivoted arm, a valve onv one-end of said arm, and means-engaging the opposite end of said arm for holding said valve in closed position upon movement of said mold.

13. In a. print machine for semi-plastic :material, an intermittently operable material feeder, a mold to receive material from said feeder, said mold being movable between material-receiving position and print-dischargingposition, and venting means adapted to be closedby the material when said mold is substantially lled, said venting meanscomprising a valve, an arm pivotal-ly mounted intermediate its ends and connected at one end to said valve, a cam surface on the opposite end of said arm, and positive meansl cooperating with said cam lsurface for insuring complete closure of said val-ve during movement of said mold to print-discharging position. 1 Y

14. In a print machine for semi-plastic material, a material feeder, a casing, a mold for receiving a predetermined amount of material from the feedensaid mold having an Vopen side portion and being movable insaid casing Vbetween material-receiving and material-discharging positions, vmeans adapted to be closed by the material' for venting air from the mold, said venting means beingy disposed substantiallyin-the path of movement of the material ,and comprising a valve, a valve seat in-the casingA for saidlvalve,` an arm pivoted intermediateV its ends and connected at one Aend to said valve, a cam surface on the opposite endV of said arm, positive means c0- operating with. said cam surface for insuring complete closure of said valve as said mold moves overl said. valve to print-discharging position, and'` a print discharger mounted. for reciprocating move-1 ment at right angles 4to the movement of said mold, said discharger comprising a ram', and an actuator for said ram -movable along the `open side portion of said mold to a point in advance of said mold, whereby in. its most forward position,v no part of said print-discharging. mechanism remains in the mold cavity and said mold is enabled to retract to the material-receiving positionprior to retraction of said `discharger and substantially when said dischargerl has cleared the mold.

15. In a print machine for semi-plastic materials, an intermittently operable material. feeder, a mold to receive material from the feeder, reciprocatory means for actuating said I nold between material-receiving and 'print-discharging positionsfmeans adapted'to be closed by the material for Venting air from themold comprising a valve, a pivoted arm connected atene end to said valve, a cam surface on the Opposite end of said arm, positive means cooperating with said cam surface for insuring complete'closure of said valve, said positive means being. responsive to the loperation of' said recipro'catory means', and means operating inl timed relation to the movement of said mold for discharging the print therefrom. l Y s 16. In a print machine forsemi-plastic material, an intermittently operable ymaterial feeder, a mold to receive material from the feeder and operating between material receiving and discharging'positions, a valve for venting air from the mold, said valve being disposed in the path of movement of said mold, means normally urging said valve toopen position, means for imparting rectilinear reciprocatory movement to said mold, and means for insuring closure of said Valve to enable movement of said mold over same.

KENNETH G. HEFT. f EARL' J. RAPP: LYNN D. Donrr. 

